Tango Tangerine: Un Color for All Seasons

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Ivette Manners for Las Fabulosas

Each year, Pantone, the authority on all things color, designates a hue to inspire designers to create everything from lipstick to pencil skirts and more. This year, they chose Tangerine Tango -- a reddish-orange shade -- to recharge the nation. Now you too can add a dash of tang to your home with help from these top design experts.

Add Some Detalles
Small accents and pops of this radiant color are a great way to freshen up your décor. “Incorporate simple naranjada-toned pieces like throw pillows and blankets or lacquer trays and vases in your living room or bedroom,” says Sabrina Soto, host of HGTV’s “The High/Low Project.” “Small appliances in tangerine, such as toasters, teakettles or coffeemakers are fun touches for the kitchen; and adding towels in this shade is a simple solution in the bathroom.”

Mix It In
“To make this trendy color timeless, bring in neutral hues to pair with it,” says Michelle Dunbar, owner of Fashion House Interior Design Co. “Go for a Sedona-inspired palette with deep rust, plus brown, tan or cream along with muted orange. If gray is your neutral, play it up with tangerine and white.”

Make a Permanent Statement
“Custom upholstery is a perfect way to tie Tangerine Tango in for good,” says Soto. Cover a pair of matching chairs or a large ottoman in a solid or patterned fabric for your living room, or order a tufted headboard for your bedroom. “Another great way to add this color is to purchase a few pieces of accent furniture or accessories, such as poufs, side tables, small area rugs and table lamps. “Go bold by painting one wall in your living room this shade,” says Dunbar. “It will really liven up a neutral-toned sofa.”

Skip the Splurge
“An inexpensive way of incorporating orange and tangerine tones in a big way is by using jersey slipcovers on your existing chairs or sofa,” says Dunbar. They cost about $40 and come in a variety of sizes. “Check out vintage and consignment stores, as well as weekend flea markets, for surprising finds,” says Soto.


Photo: @iStockphoto.com/yulkapopkova


Ivette Manners  has contributed to Teen Vogue, SELF, Latina, Real Simple, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons and For the Bride. This is her first article for Las Fabulosas.



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Clutter No Mas: Organize Your Home With Style

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Shirley Velásquez for Las Fabulosas

You’ve already rid your home of the things you no longer use. Next is finding smart ways to keep it organized and chic. “The trick to making spaces look polished and finished is allowing the eye to see open horizontal spaces and only keeping visible what looks stylish,” says Helene Segura, an organization and productivity expert with LivingOrder in San Antonio. Try some of these fine-tuning tweaks to make your home show-ready.

La Antesala
Add a classic-style coat rack (with a wood base and metal hooks) on the wall, which gives everyone a place to hang up their belongings when they walk through the door. “If you have a larger entry, consider mudroom pieces that come in styles that range from locker room flashbacks, to country-chic, to gorgeous teak,” says Segura.

La Sala
If your functional furniture lacks a little jazz, opt for a clean, contemporary look. Consider spray-painting pieces in a cream color to add instant glamour. Forget utilitarian storage boxes. Instead, try ones that are made out of posh materials, such as velvet, leather or horn. Add rustic accents with bronze or wooden baskets. “For a uniform look, purchase varying sizes in the same style or buy sets of three in multiple colors within your color palette,” says Segura.

La Cocina
Families spend much of their time here. So keep it spacious. After you’ve cleared counters and used all of the cupboards and the upper reaches of the cabinetry, all that should be visible are neutral-colored earthenware containers to store grains, sugar, flour or any other foods.

El Dormitorio
If you’re using the area under your bed to store items, add a sham or trimming to hide what’s underneath. Also don’t cram the space. “Use long, rectangular plastic containers sorted by category,” says Segura. They make it easy to find what you need later on.

El Baño
Cabinets with glass-paneled doors create the effect of open space. Eliminate the cluttered look inside by using neutral-colored fine ware jars to stash bathroom supplies. “Tame what’s hidden in the bottom cabinets with a combination of bins with brushed nickel, stainless steel helper shelves or drawer systems,” says Segura.


Shirley Velásquez is an editor and writer at ELLE magazine. She has contributed to Woman’s Day, Glamour, InStyle, Latina, The New York Sun, and Border-line Personalities, an anthology of essays written by Latina writers. She is a frequent contributor to Las Fabulosas.


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Hello, Again.

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Pulling the spider webs off my blog as I'm typing this. As I said on my previous post, I needed a break from the internet. Then when I was ready to start blogging again, my internet started acting up. Pages wouldn't load or would take forever to load. Since it lasted more than two days I thought it was my computer that needed a fresh installation of windows. Did that but it didn't resolved the problem. Then today it started working out of the blue. My guess it was my internet service that was having problems. So here I am!

How are you handling the hot weather? It has been brutal! I feel bad for those poor people without electricity that were hit with the storm. My prayers to them. I have been staying inside as much as possible. Cooking easy dinners so I don't have to stay in the kitchen for over an hour. The days of me slaving in the kitchen are over, especially when it is extremely hot. Before I used to feel guilty if I didn't cook dinner. I guess is a Latina thing. We are trained to think that if we don't cook dinner we are a mala madre/bad mother. Today I cooked fried tilapia with french fries, a simple dinner but delish. Do you feel guilty when you don't cook dinner or if you cook something simple?

Anyway, I finally got a fan that was good enough this past weekend. If you remember, I bought three fans and returned all three because they sucked! Finally, I had decided on one from Sears. I called to check if they had the fan at the store, placed the order online after they said they had four in stock. Went to pick it up the same day and they tell me they didn't have any. Got my refund, did the same thing for another store. Placed the order then I get an email saying they don't have the fan either, even after I called and they said yes. Ridiculous! The fan they have at their stores looks the same, but it's a different brand. So when I called that's why they said they had it. They didn't bothered to look at it to make sure it was the exact same one. And they still have the fan listed on the site! Horrible customer service! So, I ended up buying a Lasco fan from Target that it was on sale for $37.99. The cheapest one turned out to be the good one, it's noisy and it blows a good amount of air. I'm so happy! Cleaning it is going to be a bitch because the grid is not removable, but I'll deal with it when the time comes.

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No More Semi Cold Food!

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I haven't blogged in almost a week. Not that I didn't wanted to, but I have been busy with life, running around doing errands, etc. Also, a freaking pipe broke in the apartment above mine so the water ended up in my living room. Lucky me! Part of my ceiling is basically hanging by a thread of paint. Can you say that? I don't know. Anyway, this happened last week on Thursday. So we have been limited to a corner of the living room. Not fun at all. Was told they were coming today at 9am to fix it but so far nada. I had to cancel an appointment to stay here so they better show up, coño!

As you can see by the picture below, I finally was able to buy a microwave! It's so shiny and new! It's not a fancy one with all the bells and whistles but it is good enough for us. We bought it at Target for $59.99 plus the protection plan, $17. Had to spend those extra dollars so I don't end up losing money if this stops working out of the blue. God, how missed having microwave, had to use the oven to warm up everything. There were many times I had to eat my dinner semi cold because I didn't wanted to turn on the oven. So yay for me, I can now warm up my food in one minute!

We also bought a desk for my daughter's bedroom. She has a desk but not in her bedroom, we have it in the living room with her computer that my son also uses. We started putting it together at 2am and we finished at 4:30am. We took our time because we didn't wanted to mess it up. Well, we missed a step, so we had to unscrew two parts half way to fix it. It turned out perfect though, with no broken parts or crooked screws! Looks nice doesn't it? She's ecstatic with her new desk, waited a long time for it.

Oh, I also bought a new fan. Well, sort of. That's for my next post. Hope everyone is enjoying their day. Happy Monday!♥♥

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Limpieza de Primavera.

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Shirley Velásquez for Las Fabulosas


With our hectic schedules, it’s unlikely that we’ll be treating our homes to a full-on session of squeaky-cleaning this spring. But experts say that we can actually shave time from long hours of cleaning if we scrub the grime right away.

For example, if we reassess our rutina de limpieza, we may discover that some of our habits actually keep things dirty, merely spreading around el polvo, according to Debra Johnson, an expert and training manager with the nationwide house-cleaning service Merry Maids.

And if we divvy up the work into several steps by “setting aside a couple of days a month to focus on cleaning,” says Johnson, our casitas will stay cleaner for longer. Here are some more easy-to-implement steps you can try.

1. Dispose of clutter. Before you start cleaning, get rid of whatever you can’t put away, says Johnson. Divide your clutter into three groups: “junk,” which you will simply toss; “charity,” which you will give away; and “undecided,” which will be put away in a box until a later date.

2. Use appropriate amounts of cleaning product. “Most people use too much,” which leaves residue behind, says Johnson. Any dirt will then cling to the residue.

3. Swipe the dust. “Microfiber is the best tool for removing dust, and not as much product is needed,” says Johnson. Start by wiping and see how clean the surface will get before applying product. “Make sure to use a plush, rather than thin, cloth.”

4. Steam-clean. Use a high-temperature canister steam-cleaner to quickly bust grease and grime on the more challenging surfaces, such as oven grill trays, windows and mattresses. To avoid water residue, use the least amount of steam.

5. Clean your gadgets. Remote controls, game stations, DVD players and telephones are often overlooked. All-purpose cleaners dredge out the dirt that easily accumulates in the nooks from constant touching.

6. Dust first, vacuum last. Clean each room or piece of furniture from the top down. Start by dusting higher surfaces or furniture. Finish by wiping lower items and vacuuming the floors.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/fatihhoca


Shirley Velásquez  is an editor and writer at ELLE magazine. She has contributed to Woman’s Day, Glamour, InStyle, Latina, The New York Sun, and Border-line Personalities, an anthology of essays written by Latina writers. She is a frequent contributor to Las Fabulosas.





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Happy Valentine's Day/Feliz Día De San Valentín!

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Happy Valentine's Day/Feliz Día de San Valentín! I know I'm late in the day, but I have been busy. We really don't celebrate this day, it's like any other day for us. My daughter received roses from her boyfriend. He sent her red roses in a red vase. Very pretty, she was very happy because it was a surprise. Oh yeah, I forgot. I received an ecard from my ex, lol. During the years we were together he barely remembered this day. Now, after two years I get one. Men! 

I have been busy painting my bedroom with my son's help. Well, he did most of it. I don't remember painting being so hard! Especially the ceiling, I guess that's was happens when you are old. I remember when I was young painting our house and not being in pain and sweating buckets! Thank God we are done. Now to put all the stuff back inside. My living room looks like a bomb exploded. I have too much junk so some of it is going in the trash. Who gets a cold from painting? Me! I had to open the window in my room while we were painting, so both (my son and I) got a cold. Cough, cough... 

Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying their day/night/morning wherever you are. That you at least got a hug from you loved ones or friends. My daughter just came from Target and I had asked her to bring some chocolates but she was already on the bus. Tomorrow K-mart will probably have some sales, so she said she's going to bring me some. I guess I'm getting some Valentine's Day chocolates after all. Even if it is a day late!♥♥


  

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Freebies!

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I got a freebie in the mail from Latina magazine. It brighten up my day, lol. I mean who doesn't love to get freebies in the mail? It's a string sling backpack. Perfect for when you don't want to carry a purse around. My daughter is going to make good use of it that's for sure. Thanks to Latina magazine! 

I also received some coupons for Land o Lakes eggs from Vocalpoint. Problem is that unless I go to Target to buy the eggs I won't be able to use the coupons. The supermarket I go to doesn't take coupons. I have to go today to do grocery shopping so I'm going to ask again. The last time they looked at me like I was from another fucking planet. Pissed me off. You would think I was at a posh supermarket! I guess some places don't want to deal with the extra hassle of having to do coupons unless is from their own store. It sucks because these days I need to save on everything I can.

Talking about savings. I cut off my phone with Cablevision over a year ago. The triple play promotion I had expired so I was being charged full price for the phone and internet. I decided I wasn't going to throw my money out the window like that. Yo no soy rica!/I am not rich! I now use MagicJack, but to my surprise the company just raised their prices. From $19.95 to $29.99 for the regular MagicJack. Guess it was a matter of time. I forgot I needed to renew mine, found out when I went to make a call and got the message. That's how little I use the phone. I tried renewing my plan but their site wouldn't take my card. They put a trouble ticket but never got back to me. Right now I can only receive phone calls so of course I have been in need of using the phone a lot lately. Hay que joderse! Have to contact them to see if they will still give me the old price since it wasn't my fault that their site wouldn't take my card. Wish me luck!

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Casa Cambiada.

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Julie D. Andrews for Las Fabulosas


No matter your household budget, you can spruce up your space with expert ideas from New York City–based diseñadora Nina Isabella, founder of Nina Interiors & Styling.

Sala Sensual
Think rich texturas. Layer them on thick throughout the room, says Isabella, creating an abundancia of beg-to-be-touched telas. “Pillows, throws, window treatments and rugs -- they’ll all warm the space at relatively little expense,” says Isabella, who shops at IKEA for low-cost cool rugs. Next, change up el arte. “Use a different theme or color palette as a foundation,” says Isabella, adding that she routinely scours Etsy for eye-catching one-of-a-kind artwork at reasonable prices.

Add inspiration-on-demand by stacking splashy revistas and libros on chairs in corners and on floors, keeping an eye on how the binding colors combine. “We have no fewer than six piles of each around our home at any given time,” says Isabella. “Nothing says ‘lazy day’ more than reading material at the ready.” Lastly, infuse the room with intoxicating fragrancia. Make a ritual of lighting a candle or diffuser whenever you enter.

Lights in la Cocina
Never underestimate the power of el efecto visual. “Add tabletop lamps and mirrors to add warmth -- without relying on predictable and harsh overhead lighting.” Display pottery to brighten and add character; check out Cabelas.com for such finds. Finally, add punches of fresh green with a potted jardín de hierba. “I keep a window box of herbs off the kitchen and can easily snip as I cook. In winter, I replant and keep them inside,” says Isabella.

La Recámara Romántica
Keep it simple. “It should feel uncluttered,” says Isabella. “Relaxed and romantic.” Remove any desk or television and reserve the space for relajación. “You should be able to fully detach from work there,” says Isabella. Next, splatter on fresh paint. “I’m into darker hues for bedrooms. People tend to go lighter -- it’s safe, uplifting. But darker shades bring coziness, which is what we want in our bedrooms.” Use bright, energizing colores in cocinas, and reserve darker cafés de cocoa for bedrooms.

Photo Credit: Eric Morales (http://www.ericm-photo.com)


Julie D. Andrews  is a writer based in New York City. Her articles have appeared in print and on the websites of Las Fabulosas, Prevention, SHAPE and Glamour, as well as on Yahoo.com, YourTango.com and MSN.com.

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Feliz Nochebuena - Happy Christmas Eve!

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First, Feliz Nochebuena/Christmas Eve to everyone! I woke up early (8:30 AM, yes that's early for me) to put the pernil in the oven and enjoy some of the morning silence. It was so quiet! Yes, you would think since I live in the city I would love noise but no, I don't. It has to do with getting old and previously living next to a crazy woman for years.

Anyway, as I said 2 days ago I haven't been into celebrating the Holidays these days. I went out the same day and got some very simple/cheap Christmas decorations (see pictures below) for our table to brighten up my apartment and to force myself into feeling festive. Seems to be working a bit so far! Playing some mellow music working my way up to pop, rock and last some salsa and merengue. I wrote a post not too long with some of the music we (my familia) used to listen to for Christmas when I was growing up. Click here to read it. Add the songs to Spotify (Sign on for 30 days trial, cancel it before they charge your card!) and you'll be salseando and merengueando in no time! Weepa!

I've been cleaning up while the pernil cooks. My apartment smells (garlicky) so good right now, is making me hungry. Can't pick at the pernil yet, coño! So I will continue with the craving. Remember I was going to bake a cake, the Gooey Butter cake. I baked one on Thursday to see how it would come out. Well, it looked perfect when I took it out the oven as you can see by the pictures. But as I was taking some pictures, it started sinking on the sides, lol. Then the whole cake fell except for the edges. I left it for 45 minutes like the recipe said but it seems that it needed 5 to 10 minutes more. Still, it tasted DELISH (people weren't kidding!) but it was extra gooey in the center, lol. I'm not going to lie I had more than one piece on the same day and the day after. I'm baking another one later today, this time I'm leaving it a bit longer. 

Bueno, let me get back to what I was doing. I still have to make the arroz con gandules and the potato salad. Maybe fry some yellow plantains too. Bought an avocado, hopefully it will be good inside. I have bad luck with avocados! Same as with men, they are nice outside but when you taken them home they turn out rotten, lol. Sorry it was too good to pass up! This is me loosening up, feeling festive. And I don't even drink! 

Hope everyone is enjoying their Nochebuena/Christmas Eve wherever they are! Cuidense/Be safe. Don't drink and drive...

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Moving Away.

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Guest post written by Jeramy Sparks


I just moved away from my best friend in the entire world. I don’t know what I was thinking. I thought I needed a change in my life, but now I am starting to second guess myself. For years, my best friend was just a block away. I knew I could always count on her. Last week was not any different. She spent the entire week making sure I was settled into my new apartment. She helped me pick out all the new paint colors. She arranged my power installation by going to texaselectricityproviders.com. She even helped me unpack and organize all of my stuff.

I don’t know what I would have done without her and I don’t know what I am going to do without her. I am hopeful that I will be able to talk her into moving out here, but I don’t know. She has always been one of those people that is set in their ways, but there is always a chance. I guess there is also a chance that I will move back there. Who knows?

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Smells So Good!

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Yesterday we went to Target and I was happy to see they have the Christmas stuff up already. It just brightens my mood to see all the lights. When we passed by the candles, you could smell the cinnamon, pumpkin spice and all those delicious scents. That's when I remembered we needed to get Febreze. To my delight they had the limited edition scents they always have this time of the year. Although I noticed they don't have it listed on their site. Not sure why. Anyway, I bought Cinnamon Sugar & Home. I love anything cinnamon, lol. When I got home I sprayed around, it smells delicious! Made my apartment feel homey and for a few minutes I forgot about my back/legs pain. The power of Febreze, lol.


I was looking at the bottle when I noticed something that reminded me of a post I read at Latinaish.com. I started laughing while my kids were looking at me funny wondering what was wrong with me, lol. The post was for Spanish Friday where a bottle of Febreze was involved. You can read it here if you want to have a good chuckle...


Note: This is not a sponsored post. I'm just sharing my thoughts.


  

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Make Your Home a Sanctuary.

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Shirley Velásquez for Las Fabulosas




Everyday hustle often makes it difficult to relax, even during downtime at home. Finding just a few minutes during the week to enjoy some solitude and explore your thoughts can reap countless benefits. Fortunately, it’s easier than you think to create zones of Zen within your personal space.

Create a Home Baño Spa
Take a cue from the ancient Romans, who built bathhouses across the empire when they discovered water’s therapeutic properties. Prepare a warm bath and add droplets of essential oils, such as stress-melting lavender, mind-clearing spearmint or cramp-relieving anise. After your rejuvenating bath, linger for several minutes wrapped in your towel. Finally, make sure to hydrate your skin with an enriched cream, such as cocoa butter.

Listen to the Sound of Music
Nothing soothes the soul like listening to your favorite tunes. Each night after work, fill your home’s airwaves with some of your much-loved songs. Instead of starting up the night’s chores right away, sit back for a few minutes to relish in the pleasant memories. Love nature? Play the sounds of gentle ocean waves, bird whistles or whales songs.

Set the Mood With Lighting
Humans respond to light; its presence can get you going in the morning, and its absence helps us fall asleep. Give your home a romantic or quiet mood by replacing artificial light with candles. Dinner over candlelight, for example, enhances the meal experience. Another option is to set tea light candles in one space in your home where you can linger and unwind after a long day.

Make a Hotel Bedroom 
One reason hotel rooms have a calming effect on guests is that there’s little in them demanding to be taken care of, rearranged or put away. Create this effect in your own room by de-cluttering it of items that haven’t been used in the past six months. Make your bed every morning and add tokens throughout the space of visual and sensory comfort, such as fresh flowers, cedar chips or a soft blanket.



Shirley Velásquez  is an editor and writer at ELLE magazine. She has contributed to Woman’s Day, Glamour, InStyle, Latina, The New York Sun, and Border-line Personalities, an anthology of essays written by Latina writers.




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Time To Look For A New Service? - Update.

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One more day until the end of the week! Sunny day in New York, so far. Ok, yesterday I blogged about my cable/internet service problem with Cablevision. Well, here is the conclusion. The phone eventually rang around 1:40PM. The super was finally around so I called the technician. Fast forward an hour and a half later, the technician finally comes in to check the back of the building. After some back and forth he finally tells me he can't get any signal at all. I knew this was bad news of course. 


He goes on to say that the line is in an area he can't get to because it is locked (the owner, doesn't live here) and no one have access to it. What does that mean? According to the technician, I would have to keep an eye out for the person to be around and then call him. Which meant I wasn't going to have service for who knows how long. Plus, it was a two man job. The tone of my voice changed of course and he noticed it, lol. 

Luckily for me, another technician got in touch to let him know he was going to come help him with the job. After an hour or so they managed to install a new line, I finally had cable and internet service! I could tell he was annoyed by the time he left but hey it wasn't my fault they had to do extra work. Who's to blame? The person who installed the first line!

LOL, I just received a phone call from Cablevision with a satisfaction survey about the phone calls, work done and the technician. I'm not kidding. I pressed excellent for every question of course because he did came by a second time the same day and my service is working. So far, it looks like a cancellation is not going to happen. Yet. 





image credit: The Altie Overdrive



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Time To Look For A New Service?

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My week was going fine/Ok until last night. Daughter got home, closed the door...the internet goes down. It's like she brought malos espiritus/evil spirits with her. I thought, ok it will start working again in an hour or two. It didn't. Then the cable went down. I called Cablevision, yes unfortunately I'm stuck with them. I was expecting that there was a problem around my area. Nope, not the case. A signal was sent to my box but nothing happened. At this point I was semi upset but still trying to keep my cool. The customer service representative (insert sarcasm) tells me he has to send someone to take a look at the box and the modem. Next available appointment, Thursday! I asked him politely if that was the earliest appointment and of course he answers yes. 

Then I asked him about the internet, he says that's not his department. I'm starting to get more upset but kept my cool, barely. Finally got off the phone and then it hit me. I shouldn't have to wait until Thursday for an appointment. They (Cablevision) messed up (long story) and now they expect me to wait until Thursday? Called again, told the customer service representative that I shouldn't have to wait until Thursday because...He says; let me see what I can do. Someone always cancels, I will call you by 11PM to let you know if there is anything open. Meanwhile, I asked him to put me through the internet department. The internet customer service representative (again sarcasm) tells me the same thing but he schedules an appointment for today. I don't have to wait for him to call me like the other customer service representative.

Fast forward to today, the technician comes early but needs to have access to the back of the building. The area needs to be opened by the super. Ok, no problem I told the technician. I'll just call the super. The super, he's at another building doing some work! The other person to have access is not here either. Just my freaking luck, my hopes for getting this resolve today are dwindling. To my surprise the technician didn't look upset at all. He tells me, you have my number on your cell. Call me before 5PM when he (the super) gets here. I hope he's (the technician) getting paid good money. Called the super (yes, lots of phone calls) to let him know, he says that someone should be here by 5PM. So far nada. I'm still holding on to the hope that my cell phone will ring before 4:30PM.

I know some of you must be saying, bitch is just cable and internet. True, but when that's the only form of entertainment you have, your daughter uses it for work, I need it to make unos chavitos extra and I'm getting ripped off by the company - I have the right to be a bit bitchy.♥ 




image credit: The Smarter Wallet

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Want To Be On HGTV?

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image credit

I love HGTV, I can watch House Hunters for hours and I recently started watching Cash & Cari, love seeing all the things she finds. Another show I like is Selling New York. You get to see two million dollars apartments. Something I know I'm never going to see in person, lol. Unless I hit the lotto! 

If you have been dreaming about being on HGTV this is your opportunity to be a guest. They have plenty of opportunities for those who live in New York. Check the complete list below or visit their page!  

The shows below are seeking potential guests and information that may be used in a show. If the show you're interested in applying for is not listed, new episodes are not in production or the show is not soliciting viewers at this time. This list is updated frequently, so please check back.

We're Looking for the Ultimate Christmas Mom!

Compete With Your Neighbors in a Christmas Decorating Showdown!

Do You Want to Add a Rental Unit to Your Home? Income Property

Are You an Empty-Nester? Let Us Transform Your Space!

We're Looking for Fun and Compelling Families to Take a Vacation

Do you have a boring basement? Or other large unused space, like a bonus room in your home? -- HGTV has a fun fix for your family!

Are you planning to have a wedding this year and wish HGTV would design your dream reception?

Calling All Of HGTV’s Biggest Fans!

Get an NYC Apartment Makeover!

Are Get a Free Makeover Voted on by HGTV.com's Online Community

Are You Ready for an Amazing Makeover? Find out how to get your home HGTV'd!

Do You Go Over-the-Top With Christmas Decorations? Show Us!

Get a Holiday Makeover From Design Star Emily Henderson!

Did The Hottest, Chicest Design Team Wants to Transform Your Home on TV

Did You Get the Most Bang for Your Buck When Remodeling?

We're looking for families who want to party New Jersey style!

Now casting families in need of organization help!

Get a room makeover from Design Star winner Emily Henderson

Do you need someone to handle your estate sale in Michigan?

Do you have what it takes to become the next All American Handyman?

Get a $20k Curb Appeal Makeover

Do you want your NYC studio apartment renovated on a popular HGTV show?

Compete With Your Neighbors in a Home Design Showdown

Have You Recently Renovated a Room in Your Home?

Are You Buying a Home Outside the United States?

Are You a Homeowner Selling Your First Place in Charlotte, Miami or DC?

Are You Getting Ready to Buy a Home? We Want to Show Your Story on HGTV!

Would You Like to Take On Your Next Remodeling Project on National TV?

Are you a first-time buyer trying to navigate the real estate market?




image credit: Permanence

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Just My Damn Luck.

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I've had the worse possible luck this week. On Monday morning my router burned out. I saw all the lights flashing like crazy but didn't think anything of it. So I unplugged it thinking it was the internet that had stopped working. Plugged it back and the damn thing was dead. Noooo! I thought don't panic, check it again. I refused to give up and kept trying different things (thanks to Google!) to check if it would work but nothing. So now I have to buy a new one. Things break at the worst possible time. When you are broke. I have been looking for something cheap and so far have found a few below $35. That is not necessarily cheap but is cheaper than $50, right? Whether I want to or not I need to get one.  

Also on Monday, yes it was an eventful day. The super came by to tell me I have two leaks, in the bathroom and bedroom. He thought he had fixed the one in the bathroom but it was still leaking. Yesterday, he finally found out what it was so he tells me I couldn't use the bathroom until he tells me, right. I said no problem. What happens? I start feeling really sick and I get a stomachache! Just my damn luck. I'm praying for the super to show up and say you can use it now. Nothing, he finished the job and never bothered to come up to say I'm finished. I was so pissed! I had to use it eventually but all I kept thinking was him coming over to check the damn bathroom while I was using it. OMG!

If that wasn't enough when he (super) came on Monday he closed the radiator half way (bedroom) but didn't tell me. I thought he was just looking at it. Three hours later I go in my bedroom and what do I find? The whole ceiling is covered in water dripping everywhere, all four walls of the bedroom! Now there are drip marks all over the walls, ugh. I'm still pissed about it. I cleaned most of it but I knew he was coming back so I decided to wait until he's done with everything to clean it completely. He's coming back today and I'm hoping it will be an easy job because I need go outside to run some errands. Well, depending on the weather of course. I don't have shoes to walk on icy sidewalks. I so do not want to fall like a plátano/plantain in the middle of the street. Imagínate que verguenza! 

As you can see it has been one hell of a week so far. I'm stressed out because there are other things going on also. Needless to say I'm not feeling too good. Stress turns into hunger and tension headaches. Not fun at all. If you have a bit of luck/prayers, please send some my way. I really need it...

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Working on the House is a Great Family Project.

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Guest written by our friend Waldo Byers

It started out as a way to save a bit of money on our heating bill - but suddenly, getting our house ready for winter has become an annual event! This weekend, my wife, the kids, and I set out to prepare the house for the cold months that are soon to be upon us. We were glad that we had a warm day to work on, as they're predicting snow to come in the next couple weeks.


While they began cleaning out the house, I went to the hardware store and picked up some insulation and other products, even including a new storm for our front door (as the old one was getting sort of loose and rattled). Once I got home, my daughter and I installed the new door, while my wife and son began working on the insulation and filling in cracks. I also took a few minutes to go down in the basement and check out the condition of the furnace. Luckily, it looks like it's still in great shape so we shouldn't have to worry about it this year.

After we finished, we all pitched in to make a big taco dinner and then sat down together to watch some satellite television from TVbyDirect.com. Since we put in a long day of work, we definitely deserved to have a special family night.


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I Love Freebies!

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I love freebies, I subscribe to two blogs that are about freebies. Yesterday it paid off because I got 2 free products with 2 coupons I received in the mail! I went to Walgreens and saved almost $10. I left a happy woman. What did I get for free? A bottle of 24 Advil liquid gels and a Cottonelle Wipes tub with a free wall hanger! How cool is that.

I don't use coupons often because the supermarket around here doesn't accept coupons unless it is from their own store. I can only use them at Target and I rarely go there anymore. Have to take the train to get there and I can't afford it. So I am happy I was able to use those two coupons and better yet it was free! Freebies get me out of trouble all the time when I run out of things. I ♥ freebies!! Do you?

 

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